If you have ever watched an episode of the hit Netflix series The Crown and wondered “Did that actually happen?” then look no further: notable royal historian and biographer Robert Lacey has written an official companion to the series.

The Crown, Volume I: Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and the Making of a Young Queen tracks the history behind every episode of the first season, from “Wolferton Splash” to “Gloriana”, from the code word that notified Churchill of George VI’s death to how the affair between Princess Margaret and Peter Townshend ended, and every detail in between. The crux of this book covers the period of 1947-1955 (like the first season), but there are references to earlier events as well.

The Crown, Volume I is also interspersed with the stories behind the episodes, and there are sections on the major players of the series: Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Princess Margaret, King George VI, the Queen Mother, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Winston Churchill, and Anthony Eden, to name a few.

And then the tidbits, like the story behind The Queen’s wedding and coronation photos, are told in great detail; as is the story of how The Queen’s wardrobe was chosen for royal tours and the designers that created them. Other royal tidbits are scattered throughout this companion book. Just about anything you would want to know about the minor details of The Crown is here for you to read.

As mentioned, The Crown, Volume I is written by royal historian and biographer Robert Lacey. Some of his work includes Robert, Earl of Essex: An Elizabethan Icarus, The Life and Times of Henry VIII, Majesty, Princess, Grace (about Princess Grace of Monaco), The Queen Mother’s Century, Royal, Monarch: Life and Reign of Elizabeth II, and A Brief Life of The Queen.

I am a huge fan of The Crown, so this was the perfect book to add to my bookshelf. It also made me want to binge The Crown again (which I ended up doing), and any excuse to do so is a win in my books.

This would be the perfect book to read ahead of the second season coming this December, and an excellent gift for the holiday season. Happy reading!